Apparatus for and art of straightening type plates



Dec. 21 1926.

J. H. TAYLOR PPARATUS FOR AND ART OF STRAIGHTENING TYPE PLATES Filed Feb. .1.5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2` ua'nlou Wim/#fling Patented" Dec. 21, 1926.

JOSEPH TAYLOR, OF TUXEDO, MARYLAND.

APPARATS FOR AND ART OF STRAIGH'IENING TYPE PLATES.

Application led February 15, 1926. Serial No. 88.495...

These inventions relate to improvements in the art or process ot preparing printing plates for the press and to apparatus uell adapted for the practicing ot the art.

The j nimary object in view is the effective straightening; or correcting of the tv'pe face oit printing` plates in a ready, rapid and inexpensive manner.

A more detail object is the substantially complete obviating ot hand straightening.

A still further object is the exertion ot stresses on the back 'face of the plate resiliently at a series of points spaced apart but sutlicientlj7 close together for exerting straightening;- stresses at substantially all places on the back of the plate directly opposite places on the type tace refpiirinfg` straightening.

/Vith these and further objects in view, the invention comprises certain novel steps and combinations of steps of an art or process 'for straightening the type face of printing plates, and certain novel constructions. combinations and arrangements of parts ot apparatus Well adapted tor carrying out the art or process as will hereinafter in part be stated and in part become apparent.

ln the accompanying drawings,-

Figure l is a vertical section through a. fragment ot a structure Well adapted for facilitating' the carrying out ot the art or process. the parts being shown in the posiion ot the step of first subjecting-the plate to pressure.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the same With the parts in the position of the completion of the step of' complete straightening of the type tace and just prior to the step ot releasing' the pressure.

Figures 3, l and 5 are, respectively, fragmentary top plan, side, and end vieivs of a fragmentary part of the springl cushion utilized in and forming part ot the present invention` the part-s being` seen ou a magnified scale.

Figures 6 and 7 are views similar, respectively, to Figures l and 2 slip'htlv modified b v the addition ot' instrun'icntalities tor indicating movement of parts.

Figures 8, 9 and l0 are views similar. respectively. to Figures 3 l and 5 ot' a slightljv modified embodiment of the spring cushion.

FigureV 1l is an end view 'of a slightly modied form of coil spring Well adapted for use in the making;V ot a spring' cushion, the parts being seen on a magniiied scale.

Figure l2 is a similar View of a furtherniodication of' the same.

In the industrial art to which the present inventions relate, it has been the common practice 1z0-straighten the type tace ot type plates, such as electrotypes, by placing` the plates face down on a smooth surface and tapping the back of the plate by manually operated instruments. t has been proposed to improve this manual method by placing the type plate with its face aesinet a heatinie instrument having aiiat surface and subjecting the back to pressure suiiicient to cause the face to straighten when the .heat has penetrated the type metal sufficiently. To accomplishV this result, it has been proposed heretofore to utilize a rubber blanket. placed against the back ot the type plate and subjected to pressure exerted toward the tace of the type plate. Other apparatus proposed hasincluded hydraulic or pneumatic pressure devices stressing the back of the type plate in a direction toward the tace thereof While the tace is subjected to heat. All of these devices have been successful in greater or less degree in straightening some or most of the larger irregularities ot the tvpe face, but lack vof independent and individual responsiveness ol different points at the back of the type face has rendered it thus far impossible to straighten the type face completely, or even approximately completelv, so that up to the present the straightening machines proposed have left 1n every instance the tvpe plate in a condition requirlllf) Aen ers, and the results obtained by this last form of proposed construction have not been successful.

The present inventions have been demonstrated repeatedly as fully overcoming all of the difliculties experienced with all of the previously proposed methods and apparatus as above set forth, and by the utilization of the present inventions it has been found possible, in practically every instance, to straighten the type face substantially as perfectly as if it had been done by hand, and thus all handwerk, or substantially all handwerk, in the straightening of the type face is obviated incident to the present inventions.

lt is, of course, well understood in this art that all type plates formed by the casting of type metal into a type shell when first cast are invariably irregular, and it is necessary, therefore, to straighten the face of such plates by the exertion of pressure at the back which brings the irregularities to the back, and the back is afterwards planed and shaped for the press. In the accompanying drawings, the structures have been illustrated with certain exaggerated proportions for the purpose of facilitating ease of disclosure. For example the type plate is shown as possessing` considerably greater thickness than the average type plate, and the type itself is illustrated as of greater depth than customarily employed. Also, the irregularities of the type face have been somewhat exaggerated, all for the purpose of making clear to the observer easily and quickly upon inspecting` the drawings, the object, purpose and resultof the present inventions. Accordingly, it will be understood that the inventions are applicable to type plates of any character, thickness and proportions which require straightening of their faces and which are susceptible of responding to the softening effect of heat.

Since a ready understanding of the art or process may be more quickly afforded by concrete illustration in referring to the structures in the accompanying drawings, said structures will be specifically described and the process set forth in the statement of the preferred operation of such structures.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, l indicates a gas heater or other appropriate hot plate having a smooth under face 2 constituting a. platen against which the type face of the printing plate is to be straightened. Spaced beneath the heater l is the pressure apparatus, not illustrated, but provided with a bed or plate 3. The bed 3 is supported by devices adapted for moving the bed toward the heater 1, and such devices may be any appropriate press mechanism. It has heretofore been the practice to utilize hydraulic or pneumatic pressure for elevating the bed 3 toward the heater 1, but be- Leimen cause of the nature of the present inventions the exactitude of control in the elevation of the bed 3 incident to hydraulic pressure is not absolutely prerequisite, and, therefore, ordinary acks, or other pressing mechanism, may be employed so long as capable of easy and quick release for lowering the bed 3 instant-ly or substantially instantly' when re quired.

Mounted on the bed 3 is a spring mat Il made up preferably of a series of interlaced coiled springs 5, 5. Each spring is a heli making up a cylindrical body and arranged with the longitudinal airis of the cylinderI parallel or substantially parallel to the under face of the heater l and the upper face oi the bed 3. In Figures 3, Ll and the .l springs are shown in detail on an exaggerated scale, and are seen to be interlaced to form a continuous, flat mat. The mat be of a size slightly greater than the back of the type plate which is seen at 6. it will be observed from Figure 5 that the u ver face of the mat made up the spi-ii I o formed with a series of longitudinal valleys 7, 7, one between each two springs .i incident to the contour of the springs, and it is desirable that the proportions of the springs 5 and the number of springs employed shall be such as to reduce the valleys 7 to a mininum in depth and width. Each spring, es illustrated in Figure 5 is laced into the next adjacent spring at each side. 'if he lacing of the springs, however, may be done in auch a way as to increase or decrease the numl oer of springs utilized, or the mat dmay be made in different ways, one of which is hereinafter described with respect to Figures 8 to lll inclusive. The manner of construction of the mat is, therefore, susceptible of a wide range of variation so long` as the general principle is adhered to of presenting a series of resilient, independently-aeting points or small areas to the under face of the tyyy l plate, which points or small areas are suii ciently juxtaposed to effectively act and stress the material of the plate into motion where motion of such material is necessarir for straightening purposes, while other all jacent areas remain unmoved.

The plate 6 to be st 1aightened is mounted on the mat 1l, while the bed 3 is in. a lowered position (not illustrated), and a sheet of flexible material 8, such as relatively thin cardboard or the like, is interposed between the mat 4e and the back of plate (l. This interposition may be accomplished, as a mat ter of facility, by the placing of the sheer', 8 on the. mat before the plate (i is introdue d. rilhe sheet 8 may be of any aporopriate liefs ible material, and is utilized particularly for the distributing of stresses from the otherwise contacting points of the coils of the mat t. The type metal of plate (i, when softened by heat, would be liable to allow tl le several coils of the mat 4 toexpress their upward spring stress by embedding themselves in the type metal without adequately moving the mass of metal above for straightening the type face, if the sheet or some other appropriate stress distributing element were not interposed between the uppermost point of the coils of the mat 4 and the plate 6. The sheet 8 thus reduces the depth of indentations formed in the back of plate 6 without, however, interfering with the independent and individual expression of stress of each individual loop of the mat 4 when such expression is possible incident to the condition of the type face of plate 6.

In the carrying out of the process after the parts have been assembled by the placing of the mat 4 on the bed 3 in its lowered position, the placing of the sheet 8 on the upper surface of the mat 4, and the placing of the plate 6 on the sheet 8, the bed 3 is raised, by whatever pressure mechanism 1s utilized for operating it, until the type face of plate 6 comes in contact with the smooth surface 2 of the heating element l, and then the bed 3 is moved upward a slight distance farther so as to slightly flatten the helices of the mat 4. Thus the plate 6 is held tightly against the smooth face 2 under a stress constantly urging the plate 6 toward the heating element 1 and under conditions such that all of the myriads of independent areas of plate 6 are independently and resiliently stressed toward the heating element. The operator watches the mat 4, after the parts are brought to the position last stated, for any manifestation of an expansive expression of the helices of the mat. The heater 1 may be a gas burner or electrical apparatus, or other heat delivering unit, and is, of course, maintained hot enough t cause the heat units to pass through the copper face of plate 6 and to soften the type metal maliing up the major portion of the plate 6. J ust as soon as the said type metal is suiiiciently soft, the individual helices of the mat 4 will expand to their normal round condition or to a condition-as nearly approaching a circle as may be possible, and this expression or movement results in the upward movement of any lowered sections or areas, such as seen at 9, 9, of the type face of plate 6. The moment the type metal of plate 6 is soft enough to allow the said movement of the type face to the rectified position, that is to the position contacting uniformly with the smooth surface 2, and such movement is consummated, the parts assume'the position seen in Figure 2, and that moment the pressure of the mat 4 should be released. The operator, seeing the slight movement of various coils of mat 4, immediately lowers the bed 3 so as to relieve pressure from plate 6 and avoid any oozing of molten type metal. The straightening process will thus have been completed so far-as the straightening of the face of the plate 6 is concerned, and it is, of course, well understood that the back of plate 6 must be planed or otherwise prepared to adapt the plate for printing purposes just the same as has been commonly done after' the type face of type plates have been straightened manually.

The motion of various coils of the mat 4 i may be comparatively easily observed by the operator and the bed 3 lowered at the proper and appropriate time, but it is liable to be found that the operator must stoop down, or get into an awkward position, to be able to effectively watch the action of the mat 4. To obviate this necessity, an indicator may be utilized, such as shown in Figures 6 and 7, in which the identical parts above described bear the same reference numerals. To the bed 3 is detachably .fixed a bracket 10 having an upstanding arm 1 1, preferably terminating in a tapered edge adapted to serve as a fulcrum. A rod.12 is inserted into any one of the coils and allowed to rest on the fulcrum 11, so that the inner end portion of the rod will be iniiuenced by movement of some of the coils, and such movement may be readily observed by the operator without stooping or otherwise plac-` ing himself in an awkward postion. Preferably the rod 12 carries at its inner end a plate 13 having ears 14 between which the rod 12 extends. by a pin 15 which is pivotally engaged by the rod 12, as by having the rod looped about the pin 15 and extended beyond the same. The plate 13 is thus free to oscillate slightly relative to the rod 12, and may be brought to a position of eontact'with the insideof the upper part of two of the coils of any one of the springs making up the mat 4. Vhen the bed 3 is moved upward until the coils of mat 4 are slightly iiattened, the rod 12 will take the inclined position seen in Figure 6, and when the type face straightens under the stress while the type metal of plate 6 is suiiiciently heated, the rod 12 will swing on the fulcrum 11. Under some conditions, it may be swung to the position seen in `Figure 7, or it may be swung to aV great-er or less extent to other positions, but it will have some movement when the relaxing of some of the helices of the mat occurs. To increase the visibility of this movement, the rod 12 may be substantially lengthened, and the rod is preferably provided with a weight 16 for insuring maintenance of the plate 1?, against the inner parts of the particular helices engaged. l

The indicating device thus made up of the rod 12 and its engaged and 5o-operating parts facilitate observation with precision of the time when the bed 3 should be lowerd. In Figures 8, 9 and 10, I have illustrated a slightly modified embodiment of the detail The ears 14 are connectedv lSi) lll() iii construction of the niet et. The inat niade up of the coil springs, as seen in Figures 3, it and 5, requires all of the springs to be unidirectional, since they are screwed together iii being interlaced. ln other words, they iiiust be eitlie all righthand springs or all leftliand springs, but in the structure seen in Figures 8, 9 and 10, 1 preferably einploy alternate right and lefthand springs, and instead of screwing thein together, they are nierely interlaced by being pressed together laterally, as best Seen in Figure 8 in which the Springs 5, 5, are i'ighthand springs while siiiriiig 5 is a lefthand spring. Since tliesprings 5 and ii are not screwed together in being interlaced, ineans niust be provided to prevent separation, and to this end each pair of springs is locked together: by the insertion of a rod 17, preferably tuH hular, between the lapping portions of the helices. Each rod 17 is preferably forined with an appropriate head 18 at one end ai a detent 19 at the other, such as a Cotter pin or other retaining device for preventing the springs froin escaping longitudinally freni the rod. Thus the inat inade up of the springs 5 and 5 and rods 17 is more quickly assembled than that of inat e', hut is of slightly greater weight and retains heat to a. slightly greater degree incident to the presence of the rods 17. It is, of course, desirable that the mat should not beconie eircessively hot and should not retain an ei;- cessire ainouiit of heat.

In Figure 11, l have illustrated a coiled` spring 20 for use for inaking up inats in which theV wire is of rectangular or square cross section, as seen at 21. This forni of wire has a slight advantage over the forni @een in the other figures of the drawings, which latter forin is the usual cylindrical wire. The square or rectangular wire presents a slightly greater surface at the place of Contact and will proportionally reduce the independent indentations in the back of the plate G. I hare, however, experienced no dilliculty in this respect in the use of the cylindrical wire springs while the sheet 8 is employed.

ln Figure 12, I have siiown a coiled spring which is flattened` at 3 and 2l, its upper and lower portions, for increasing slightly the area of contact, and the idea of this n'iodilication corresponds with that of the structure seen in Figure 11 as just described.

While he hot process is especially illustrated and described herein, and is prefe "red for inore purposes, I have found that the present inventions are especially well adapted for type plate straightening while cold particularly when the material of the sprin su'l'iicientlj..v sturdyT ,anif the flexible sheet is dal): thickened, as by the substitution of a number of newspapers or the like. lt is well also when straightening a plate while cold to place a flexible cushion. such :is newspapers like those )ust nientioned, between bed E and the spring iiiat in addition to those above the, niai. if. when the cold vtype plate is straightened, the platen 2 7l* niay be any approp" s 'e surface whether of the heater or other-i lllhatis clainied is:-

l. ln type plate straightening apparatus. the combination, with he; tine' insane "aptd ed to be engaged by the fa and ineens ier exerting pr type plate towerfl the het." ineaiis interposed betwee ii'iezins and the type plate f pressure at a of i .e'paced` indepeni'ilenrly esili bark of the type piet/ l sheet of es i. iard i ioiiits and type pla i of the n points.

lii type )late strangiiteiiingl the conibinatioii. with l'ieatine lfJ l tween the in lor delivering the stress ipe plate edgewise of in type plate stra y combination, with renting iii-eens A` of spiny tween the stressing iiicaiis and the tv i '.or delivering the stresses resilientl to of the coils. and a tier:-

lll() tvpe plate edgewise iie sheet interposed between the coils and the type plate.

fl. In type plate iietraiglilening anparatiiff. .i 'rlllfl the coinhiiiation, u'itii iieaii' pressure ineans :inapte: plate toward the iieatin interlaced springs disp 'ing ineans and the type pai ;s the inat being s rraiiged to present relative closely spaced points toward the type plate,

1 piste 5. The combination, type straightening apparatus. o s

adapted for delivering' straigzlitei wise tor-.fard the plate du ing` operation.

he combination, with straightening apparatus, of a s-spriiig): adapted for delivering straightening to the type plate comprisinginterlaced coiled springs.

'7 The to the type plate conijjirising cole arranged to hare the coils presen ty p e combination, straightening apparatus adapted for delire .teninoj etres: to the type plate cf isiiig int i'laced coiled springs arranged with their longitudinal axes such as to nornally lie substantial y with type plate of a spring inail:

parallel to the engaged surface ot the type plate.

8. In type plate straightening apparatus, the combination, with heating means, and means for stressing the type plate toward the heating means, ot spring means interposed between the stressing means and type plate tor delivering the stresses resiliently to the type plate, and an indicator extending beyond the spring means for showing movement thereotI when the spring means relaxes incident to type plate straightening movement.

r spring mat designed and adapted tor use to deliver straightening' stresses to type plate comprising curved metallic springs arranged in such contiguity and relation to each other as to present such a succession of relatively closely spaced curved places to Ward the type plate to be straightened as to effect straightening thereor" under sutticient stress, and means tor maintaining substantially the stated relation of the springs.

l0. A spring mat designed and adapted tor use to deliver` straightening stresses to type plate comprising coiled metallic springs interlaced and proportioned in size and number of coils to present such a succession ot relatively closely spaced curved parts toward the type plate to be straightened as to eli'ect straightening thereof under sufficient stress, and means engaging the springs `tor restricting relative movement thereof.

ll. In the art ot straightening type plates, subjecting the :tace ot' a. type plate to heat, moving spring coils to position tor stressing the type plate toward the source ot heat under spring pressure edgevvise ot the coils, and retaining the parts thus tensioned until the face of the type plate straightens incident to such pressure and heat.

l2. The combination, with type plate straightening' apparatus, of a spring mat adapted for delivering straightening stresses to type plate comprising interlaced springs.

13. In type plate straightening apparatus, the combination, with a platen and pressure means, of a fibrous sheet adapted to engage the back of a type plate contacting with the platen, metallic springs disposed between the pressure means and platen for directly 'engaging the librous sheet and located tor delivering stresses nism to the type sheet. Y

lll. In type plate straightening apparatus, the combination, With a platen and pressure means spaced therefrom, of curved metallic springs disposed'V between the platen and pressureV means to deliver stress from the pressure means to a type plate engaging the platen by contact ot the curved portions ot the springs.

15. In the art of straightening type plates, stressing a type plate toward a straightened condition by pressure exerted through bent metallic springs engaging` the plate at the bent portions oit the springs.

16. In the art of straightening type plates, stressing a type plate toward a straightened condition by pressure exerted through bent metallic springs engaging the plate at the bent portions of the springs, and cushioning the stress delivered from the springs to the plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH H. TAYLOR.

from the pressure mechaplate through said fibrous 

